Kyary Pamyu Pamyu -- Pang Pang Pang

 

I mentioned this PBS show on last week's Reminiscings of Youth when I was talking about "Also sprach Zarathustra" and its frequent usage on "The Electric Company". This was the 1970s program for kids learning their phonics and amongst the cast were the already famous Rita Moreno and the future Hollywood legend Morgan Freeman. 

Then, I got to thinking that if a remake of "The Electric Company" were to ever emerge on the network again in the 21st century, it would have to have the electric Kyary Pamyu Pamyu（きゃりーぱみゅぱみゅ）on at least in a guest star capacity...perhaps as Japanese Ambassador of Phonics. She's made hits out of songs such as "Ninjya Re Bang Bang" (にんじゃりばんばん), "PONPONPON" and "DODONPA"（どどんぱ）over the past decade and a half. The kids have been dancing and making those sounds.

Now, I had already decided that Kyary Pamyu Pamyu's latest onomatopoeic tonic would be going up onto the blog ever since I saw the music video a couple of days ago. Then, ironically, as I was watching tonight's "Asaichi"（あさイチ）on NHK, lo and behold, KPP herself popped up on the program to perform not only this song but also some of her past hits! And it was the first time that I had ever heard her speak in an interview strangely enough. Happily, she sounds very kind and grounded.

And now for your listening phonic pleasure, I present KPP's newest on KKP: "Pang Pang Pang" her latest single from this month. Just imagine kneading bread dough to dance club beats. Created by Yasutaka Nakata（中田ヤスタカ）, this is an alternately pounding and ethereal technopop piece to lose oneself in the miasma of baking.

What's more is that "Pang Pang Pang" is also the ending theme for NHK's anime "Pan Dorobo"（パンどろぼう...Bread Thief） which launched this month as well. I don't know much about the anime or its originating picture book, but I'm guessing the kids will be going crazy over the KPP song. From the sounds of it, the opening theme might be something to cover as well.